Dec 4, 2022; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) meet following the game at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Burrow Has Simple Message About KC Chiefs-Cincinnati Bengals Banter
Last month, Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow displayed some humility when he stated in a press conference that Kansas City Chiefs signal-caller Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL. Wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase didn't echo that sentiment, though, instead sending a slight jab at Mahomes by asking "Pat who?" not too long thereafter.
Mahomes clapped back with a viral social media post from the Chiefs' Super Bowl LVII ring ceremony, then tight end Travis Kelce also sent a message to Chase on his New Heights podcast with his brother, Jason. Both sides had been laying low ever since and while he was asked about the back-and-forth in a recent interview, Burrow wasn't going to add too much fuel to the fire.
In an article published by Kameron Hay of Complex, Burrow added his take on what shape the rivalry has taken this offseason. His response was straightforward: Kansas City and Cincinnati will settle it on the gridiron.
It’s clear Ja’Marr has trust and belief in you. He recently called you the best player in the NFL, which led to Patrick Mahomes responding at the Chiefs ring ceremony, and Travis Kelce responding as well. Did you pay any mind to that, and if so what was your reaction?
“The best thing about that is it's all settled on the field," Burrow says. "So we'll see them in December.”
Since Burrow took over as the Bengals' starting quarterback, they have faced the Chiefs a combined four times in the regular season and postseason. Cincinnati owns a 3-1 advantage in that recent series that has emerged as perhaps the best non-division rivalry in all of football. Each game has been decided by exactly three points, with the recent AFC Championship Game resulting in the Chiefs winning 23-20 and advancing to the Super Bowl against the Philadelphia Eagles.
This year's regular-season schedule features a high-profile rematch on the docket, as a New Year's Eve game on Dec. 31 will see the Bengals come to Kansas City for a contest in the late-afternoon slot. Week 17's game will almost surely have some sort of playoff implications, as both clubs project to be among the best in both the AFC and the NFL once again this coming year. Burrow clearly has that outing noted on his calendar, and it doesn't take much to conclude that Kansas City does as well.
